After my last post on the EPSON International Pano Awards I wasn’t planning on doing another photography post. But it proved so popular I thought I should do another. But rather than just choose ones that hadn’t made the cut, I thought I’d choose my favourites from the previous years of the competition. They were so striking I cheekily added an extra one. Which one jumps out most at you?

I really do love photography. It’s such a wonderful form of creative expression and a way of highlighting the beauty around us. So not too long after my last post, Gr8at: Landscape Photographer of the Year 2018, it’s great to be able to showcase some other spectcular images. The EPSON International Pano Awards has been running for nine years and is the largest worldwide competition for panoramic images. Indeed, in its latest competion, over 1,251 photographers from over 74 countries were represented. Do you have a favourite?

Spring was moving in the air above and in the earth below and around him, penetrating even his dark and lowly little house with its spirit of divine discontent and longing.

A sense of the adventurous possibilities within nature, as wonderfully described in The Wind in the Willows (1908) by Kenneth Grahame. Still enchanting readers of all ages over a century after its initial publication, the much-loved children’s novel tells of the friendship of Mole, Water Rat, Toad and Badger, four anthropomorphised animals who live near the river.

Frank Barone: Why the hell did I let you drive?Marie Barone: Because you can’t see anymore.Frank Barone: I can see a house!

Peter Boyle and Doris Roberts in the fondly remembered sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond. Though never considered edgy or trendy, the Long Island-set show was hugely popular and won 15 Primetime Emmy Awards from 69 nominations. Though the show finshed 13 years ago, it is still regularly shown. You can find more of Frank’s acerbic wit here

“I used to be embarrassed because I was just a comic-book writer while other people were building bridges or going on to medical careers. And then I began to realise: entertainment is one of the most important things in people’s lives. Without it they might go off the deep end. I feel that if you’re able to entertain people, you’re doing a good thing.”

“Another definition of a hero is someone who is concerned about other people’s well-being, and will go out of his or her way to help them – even if there is no chance of a reward. That person who helps others simply because it should or must be done, and because it is the right thing to do, is indeed without a doubt, a real superhero.”

I wouldn’t normally use two quotes for a post, but it was impossible to choose between these two. Thanks to his many dynamic and modern Marvel creations like Spiderman, Thor, Hulk, Black Panther and the X-Men, the 95-year-old Lee helped launch the comic books revolution that has led to the incredible popularity of blockbuster superhero films. Thank you Stan Lee (1922 – 2018).

I’ve always been a big tennis fan. I played a lot as a child and have been lucky enough to see most of the top players live. I’ve read loads of tennis books, including, of course, Open by Andre Agassi (review here). I’ve also been to the famous lawns of Wimbledon, and even got a photo with the famous trophy. So I just had to go and see Roger Federer when he was in the Nitto World Tour Finals, an exclusive tournament for the best eight male players of the year. In the opening match of the London-based tournament, he faced Japanese star Kei Nishikori. But in a huge shock, the Swiss maestro lost 7-6 6-3.

Even now, over 100 years later, the words Battle of the Somme send a cold shiver down the spine. Though any war is brutal and casualties can be heavy, the battle between the British and French troops against the Germans in northern France is infamous for the horrific loss of life. More than three million men fought in the battle and one million men were wounded or killed, making it one of the bloodiest battles in human history. To mark 100 years since the end of the First World War, 72,396 shrouded figures have been laid out in rows, shoulder to shoulder covering an area over 4,000 square metres across the South Park Lawn in the Olympic Park, best known for being a pivotal part of the 2012 Olympics. Each figure represents a British serviceman killed at The Battle of the Somme who has no known grave, many of whose bodies were never recovered from the battlefields. The Shrouds of the Somme is a poignant tribute.

This is the spectacular installation at the Tower of London, commemorating 100 years since Armastice Day. There are 10,000 flames, which represent not just the soldiers who lost their lives, but all those who were bereaved or affected by the war. Each flame is ceremonially lit, creating a circle of light around the tower as a powerful symbol of remembrance. The lighting takes 4–50 minutes and the flames remain lit for around four hours. I really recommend you see this post from a previous commemoration.

A wonderful quote by the iconic Baptist Minister and activist leader Martin Luther King Jr (1929 – 1968). A true inspiration, King won the Nobel Peace Prize and helped lead the seismic changes in civil rights. You can find more of the great man’s wisdom here.